Disputed Past
by Countess Alecto
Summary: AU Harry Potter is known as a criminal in Little Whinging, did you ever wonder what exactly he did to gain such an epithet?
1. The boy

**_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Harry Potter, If I was stupid enough to claim something that wasn't my own than perhaps I should be sued, but since I'm not claiming Harry Potter or any Harry Potter affiliated thing you can't sue me even if you wanted to!**

**_Summary: _AU Harry Potter is known as a criminal in Little Whinging, did you ever wonder what exactly he did to gain such an epithet? **

**Disputed Past**

**Chapter one**

All alone in a house at number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, a boy sat beside his small bedroom window as the rain streamed down outside accompanied by the occasional flash of lightning or rumble of thunder. This boy looked rather sad and melancholy, not that anyone in the town could care less about that.

The boys name was Harry James Potter, a rather mundane name if you considered his past, fabricated or truthful, although he was usually known to the town of Little Whinging as boy, freak, hey you, or any number of rather derogatory nicknames or epithets.

To the small town of Little Whinging Harry James Potter was a known criminal, who attended St Brutus' secure centre for incurably criminal boys. Shipped of every September, if not earlier only to return to his loving, helpful relatives house at the beginning of summer, where he proceeded to scrounge off his relatives care, complaining whenever they asked him to do a simple thing, getting unusual visitors at all hours and keeping an owl of all things, at least this is how it appeared to the neighbours.

Harry James Potter was in reality a wizard, punished and hunted for things he couldn't control, not that he accepted this as he seemed to think a lot of himself, apparently people being hurt was all his fault, now to accept some form of guilt is acceptable or expected even, but to say that everything that happened was his own fault? Who could possibly be quite that powerful, seems as if this wizard believed himself to be omnipotent, not that that is relevant in anyway to my story.

The neighbours, along with everyone else in Little Whinging used to watch the boy as he came home every summer seemingly depressed over one thing or another, most assumed it was the fact he was in his relatives care and couldn't get rid of them, but had to live with them all summer, this in fact did not improve his standing with the inhabitants of the town, rather his reputation, or what was left of it, got worse, add that to the fact it appeared as if the boy didn't even care what people thought about him and his station in the town dropped to the lowest level.

Children were constantly warned to stay away from the boy as he would only led them into danger, or possibly even attack them, the boy was even used as a threat during the year to ensure good behaviour, as if you were bad and didn't listen to your parent, guardians or caregivers, then when summer came no one would protect you from the plague that is Harry Potter. There was a motion once, in the town council, to ban him from the park and any other public place he might come across children, as he always seemed to watch them, this motion failed because it was against his rights, even if he was a criminal to ban him from any public place, not that the council didn't try. Along with the children, shopkeepers were always wary of the summer when the boy was around; you never knew what he was going to do.

It was odd because in appearance Harry James Potter seemed innocent enough, messy black hair that seemed as if it didn't know what a comb or brush was for it surely had never seen one, this of course aided his appalling reputation. He was rather short for his age, not too short but certainly not tall, giving him a younger appearance. His eyes were hidden behind thick, black framed glasses, often thought to be the stereotypical glasses of a nerd, not in Little Whinging though; no they were the glasses of a troublesome child. A lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, making him stand out from the other children, teenagers and adults of the town. His eyes, now they were the one thing in his appearance that betrayed how guilty he really was, emerald eyes gradually getting more and more jaded, as he faced continuous hardships in his life, or engaged in more criminal activity loosing the small amount of innocence he ever had, according to the townsfolk. The boy's eyes were dangerous, jaded and seemed to look within your very soul, or see through you at any rate, as if searching for something.

Now you may wonder how Harry James Potter got such a reputation as a trouble maker, his relatives did indeed spread word when he left after the summer of his eleventh birthday, that he was attending St Brutus', but why would a small town, with nosy neighbours believe such a thing? Surely if Harry Potter was to be sent of to a criminal school he must have engaged in criminal activity, and to have the town believe he engaged in such activity they had to have seen it, so the question is …

What exactly did Harry James Potter do to the people of Little Whinging to make them believe it was tangible for him to be sent to a school for the incurably criminal? For surely to be deemed incurably criminal someone must have tried to cure him of his unlawful behaviour previously, no? So what unlawful behaviour did the child of the wizard, Harry James Potter's past commit?

**A/N**

**That was just an odd idea that popped into my head the other say so I decided to write it down, if anyone wants me to keep writing something, you might have to tell me what to write, I may just leave it like this though, it depends I guess. **

**Anyways reviews and such would be nice, I'm not going to coerce you but I would like you for it.**


	2. Life

**Disputed Past**

**_Disclaimer:_ Yet again, I state this is not mine; otherwise, I wouldn't be a poor humanities student would I?**

**Chapter 2**

At a mere 15 months of age Harry James Potter was famous throughout the wizarding world, in England and Europe at least for defeating the Dark Lord who had been plaguing them for years.

In the rest of the world, famous for surviving a curse which cannot be survived, a miracle.

At the age of 15 months Harry James Potter was deemed famous and a saviour for something he will never properly remember, a thing which in all likelihood had very little to do with him anyway.

At the age of 15 month Harry James Potter was worshipped and praised, looked up to and despised, at the age of 15 months he was condemned.

A wizard placed Harry James Potter on the doorstep of a plain extremely ordinary house, in a plain ordinary street in a plain ordinary neighbourhood, in the plain ordinary town of Little Whinging Surrey.

This was apparently in the hopes he would live a plain and ordinary life, a deep contrast to if he resided in the wizarding world, where he was revered by most.

It was ironic and a pity it was a deep contrast to how his life played out in the plain ordinary house too.

At the age of 15 months Harry James Potter was revered, worshipped, resented and condemned.

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At two Harry James Potter gained a new name, no longer was he a squalling brat. He was christened with the name Boy, for he had yet to do anything worthy of gaining the name of Freak.

The newly christened Boy was deemed old enough to be put to use, he could walk, and talk, although with some difficulty, as expected, but he could most certainly understand what he was told to do, for one on the first lessons in life was to listen to his Aunt and Uncle, they were adults, they were omniscient, they were omnipotent, and they must be obeyed. Woe to those who disobeyed, for punishment was severe.

Perhaps this was the starting point from whence the reputation as a criminal would erupt, punishment for disobedience, a gradual acknowledgement and acceptance of pain and suffering? Perhaps, Perhaps not.

At two Boy was deemed worthy of cleaning all he could reach, although only harmless chemicals mind you, someone would notice if they were poisonous, and why would his Aunt and Uncle want to poison him? At the moment he was yet to do anything 'abnormal' and he was useful.

Soon He was introduced to the world of independence. He took care of himself, and others, mind you only because he was forced to. If he wanted a bath, he bathed himself, if he wanted to change his clothes he did that himself too, admittedly his aunt still did the washing and the cooking, but that would be far too much for a two year old.

Perchance it was the independence, a lack of care and emotional support that led Harry James Potter to gain his reputation for criminality? Perhaps, Perhaps not.

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Three, is an age where children are reportedly best able to learn skills, such as, learning that a fireplace is hot, tying shoelaces, baking simple things like cookies, even languages and if one is so inclined to tolerate a three year olds attention span to learn the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

Some would call Harry James Potter a lucky child, the neighbours did at any rate, for he was one of the few taught to read and write, and do basic math at the age of three, of course there was an ulterior motive to this….the word poison no longer applied to the toddler, if he could read it wasn't his Aunt or Uncles fault if he poisoned himself, the logic of a three year old being able to read and comprehend the idea of poison is a little farfetched, but his Aunt and Uncle were omnipotent, omniscient and infallible.

With the ability to read came the task of responsibility. Simple time consuming tasks, such as washing clothes, cleaning bath tubs, not the shower as he was simply too short. He began to take care of houseplants, feeding and watering them, and for the short while his three year old cousin had a pet rabbit he also took care of the cleaning, feeding and care of that, he was also introduced to the ideas of simple cookery such as soup cooked in a microwave.

You see Harry James Potter began to resent other people, if he at the age of three could take care of himself why couldn't others?

Maybe it was the responsibility, growing independence and basic vital skills that drove Harry to actions of criminal nature? Perhaps, Perhaps not.

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On Harry James Potter's fifth birthday the wizarding world celebrated their saviour, well most of them did. An old wizard stood firm in his opinion that where he sent the boy had been for the best, even if it was contesting the will left by his parents and the general wishes of the wizarding community, at least this way he wouldn't be spoiled and become a pampered little prince.

In his home in plain and ordinary Little Whinging an extraordinary thing happened on his fifth birthday, which led to the adoption of another name, Freak.

As it was the first day of school, his Aunt decided he had to at least look vaguely acceptable, so a rather hideous thing was attempted to be forced upon his head.

The offending peace of clothing shrank, and preceded to burn in a beautiful inferno, now if only Lady Luck was with the poor boy as his Aunt fainted, a pity his Uncle still saw, punishment for that incident was severe.

At the age of five the boy attended school with his cousin; he learnt neither to get better marks nor to appear intelligent, punishment for that was bad.

He learnt the difference between submission and dominance, forced into doing work for his cousin to the best of his ability and his own to the worst, if not punishment was horrible.

Harry vowed he would never be submissive if he could help it.

At the age of five Harry James Potter learnt to hide, emotion, skills, intelligence and feeling. He learnt how to put up a façade of innocence or foolishness or inattentiveness or any other display of emotion that need be shown to please the world. He learnt the power of underestimation and misjudgement. Perchance this knowledge grew to aid his innate criminal nature. Perhaps, Perhaps not.

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At six the boy was introduced to the power of knives. To blood and his knowledge of ways to cause pain grew greater.

At six dear Harry's purpose grew. Now he could cook meals for the family and relieve the burden from his Aunt, who did oh so much for her family, it also presented an opportunity to punish the boy more often.

At six Harry learnt that a stab would or a cut hurts an awful lot more than a bruise or a punch or kick, which failed to break either bone or skin.

He developed this knowledge to his advantage and learnt the arts of subtlety, how to remove a sharp knife from a kitchen with no one noticing, how to hide from view, and escape unwanted attention and situations.

He learnt the powers of manipulation and threats, how people react out of fear or pain or suffering.

Perhaps it was the newly gained knowledge of subtlety, and manipulation that led Harry down his path in life. Perhaps, Perhaps not.

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Perhaps all the events and skills in his life led Harry James Potter to a life of petty crime, no one in the town of Little Whinging really knew.

At the tender age of seven Harry James Potter's new life began.

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**A/N: Thanks for the people who reviewed my story, you're glorious. I still have no idea what he actually did though...**


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